CLOSING CEREMONY OF 37th SENIOR NATIONAL ROWING CHAMPIONSHIP HELD AT ARMY ROWING NODE PUNE

PUNE, 22 December 2018The closing ceremony of 37th Senior National Rowing Championship was held at Army Rowing Node, College of Military Engineering, Pune on 22 December 2018. This year 498 rowers (both men & women) from 24 teams of various States / Associations competed in approximately 200 races over last four days. The races saw tough and fierce competitions between various rowing associations fighting it out for the medals.The spectacular closing ceremony was preceded by the finals of 500 meter races of all categories. Chief Guest, Major General HK Arora, Vishisht Seva Medal, Deputy Commandant, College of Military Engineering witnessed the 500 meter finals and presided over the closing ceremony. Other dignitaries who attended the closing ceremony included Smt Rajlaxmi Singh Deo President ,Rowing Federation of India, Col (Retd) CP Singh Deo Honorary President RFI, Mr Girish Phadnis Secretary General RFI and Shri Naren Kothari Chief Jury of the championship. Overall the Army Team emerged as the Champions this year, while the Services team came second, amongst the 24 teams that participated in the Championship.

The competition also saw participation by the Asian games medalists Subedar Sawarn Singh and Naib Subedar Dushyant Chauhan in mixed event which was introduced for the first time in the National Championship. This is also the first time that the National Rowing Championship hasutilised six lanes for conduct of four events to facilitate the large participation in this Championship. Earlier all Rowing races were conducted in four lanes only. Smt Rajlaxmi Singh Deo addressed the audience and appreciated the efforts put in by the various teams as well as Army Rowing Node which conducted the event. She also thanked the Indian Army in their contribution towards the Rowing Sport in India.In his address to declare the Championship closed, Chief Guest brought out that the 37th Senior National Rowing Championship has seen a lot of new talent emerge in this wonderful sport which requires a very high level of physical fitness and stamina. General Arora brought out that the prospects of the Indian team look very bright in the Rowing events and wished the Rowers all the very best for all future Rowing Championships in India and abroad.A ‘Show Rowing” event marked the culmination of the Championship.